expanding the box

Meals in Review

by The Cold Penguin on November 17, 2013

With the cold weather, comfort food was still on my mind this week. And my cooking will definitely show that.

One of my favorite comfort foods is meatloaf. I love my Mom’s standard meatloaf, but every now and then I like to try different versions. So when I saw a pan-fried meatloaf with red pepper rings, I was more than intrigued. I was worried this dish would be difficult to make, but it really wasn’t. The only “issue” I had was I didn’t have a good skillet to go from range to oven, so I had to make a transfer to a baking dish. And really, that was no problem at all!

But these Pan Fried Meatloaf in Tri Color Peppers was comforting and exciting all at once. The peppers were delicious and so was the meatloaf! Plus we used healthy turkey meat so it wasn’t overly bad for you like some meatloaf recipes! I did have extra meat since I only purchased two peppers, which I made into a mini loaf and cooked for approximately 40 minutes. It is now in the freezer for a comforting meal at a later date.

Last Friday I was a crazy day for me, so I made slow cooker chicken tacos. It was 2 chicken breasts and 1/4 cup of taco seasoning cooked on low for 4-6 hours. Easy, cheesy. Serve with taco accoutrement and voila, dinner is served. I used the leftover chicken and tortillas on Monday night to make these yummy Chicken Taquitos. I did not have any cilantro so I just left that out, and added some spinach for nutrition. They were yummy and filling. I couldn’t finish all mine so I have one in the freezer that will make a great lunch one day!

Finally, Wednesday night was so cold it screamed soup night. I made this Meatball and Greens Soup and it was yummy! The meatballs were delicate and tasty, and the broth was not overwhelming but light and tasty. Eating this soup warmed the body and soul. Plus, my husband actually came home to eat some leftover soup for lunch today (which he rarely does so it must have been good soup!).

The weather is supposed to warm up for a bit, so maybe I’ll get off my comfort food kick and make something cool and different this coming week.
Happy Eating!